The Other Side: The Punishment
by Keeper of Tomes
Summary: Gracious, how in the world does Cyclonis decide to punish Snipe after his latest failure? Takes place after Snipe's little problem in InFinnity.


She was shaking.

Her left hand reached out to calm her right, but that only made it worse, because her two arms now shook as one giant, quivering mass. She gave up on trying and grabbed her staff. The staff clattered against the floor. She lifted it. The clattering stopped. Her breathing came out in short, furious bursts.

The door opened.

"Master, you called."

"Dark Ace," she said, her voice quivering. "Have you heard of what happened when I sent Snipe after the Cloning Crystal?"

A strangled sound came from behind. No doubt it was Dark Ace, stifling a laugh. "Yes, I heard."

"This is NOT a laughing matter," she growled. He quieted immediately. "This proves that Snipe is NOT to be trusted."

"Is that a generalization, or is it true only around items that make identical copies of himself? Master." He added the last word rather hastily. She couldn't help but smile at the thought. She almost wished she could've been there to see Snipe beat himself up. It would've been a sight to behold. Obviously, Dark Ace was thinking the same thing, because when she turned to face him, he was grinning to himself.

He looked up and saw her face covered in a hood. She brushed her hand over the rim of the dark feathers and let them uncurl. Her sharp features were revealed inch by inch, as light began to strike her eyes, nose, and mouth. The almost scary vacancy in her eyes shot at him, and although he'd been near her for years, now, her glare still surprised. In more ways then one.

"Think of it this way," he added, as she stared at him. "At least he didn't bring his copies home."

"Yes, there is that," Cyclonis mumbled. "I've sent for him."

"Oh, have you!" Dark Ace exclaimed, voice laced with sarcasm. "That'll do a lot of good." It was all he could to keep from snorting.

"He should be arriving in three...two..."

"Master Cyclonis!" The door slid open and Snipe's bulky frame lumbered in. "You asked for me?"

"Yes, Snipe, as a matter of fact, I did." Cyclonis was wearing her best poker face. Dark Ace had suddenly developed a rather annoying cough. Snipe looked around, small pupils getting even smaller as Cyclonis lit a crystal light.

"Well, is something...er, wrong?" He scratched his head. Cyclonis laughed dryly, her mouth curling up halfway.

"You could say that. Didn't I ask you to fetch me something from Saharr, a few days ago?" She strode down the podium. Dark Ace could sense her inner anger coiling up, like a spring. He felt REALLY sorry for Snipe at the moment. And that was saying something.

"Yes...I think?"

"And didn't you FAIL?" she snarled.

"Um...yes?" The last word came out as a whimper. Cyclonis was only a few feet away now. Her fingers were shaking, in an effort to keep her anger under control. But even the mightiest dams have cracks...

"Snipe, I asked you to bring me the crystal. I did NOT tell you to start using it. And after you wore it down so much, it was nearly dust, you allowed the Storm Hawks to get it back. Is that correct?"

Snipe was silent. Cyclonis narrowed her eyes and drew herself closer to him.

"Is that _correct_?" she hissed, her voice dangerously soft.

"Yes?"

Dark Ace watched from the shadows with growing respect for Cyclonis. Very few fourteen year olds could control men like Snipe.

"Apparently, the usual punishments are not enough to drill into your thick skull how important success is to me. So, I've come up with something...a little more, unique, shall we say?" Cyclonis backed down. Both men in the room expected her to pull out a new crystal or some other form of physical punishment. Instead, she handed Snipe...

"A piece of paper?" he said, scratching his head once more.

"Not just any piece of paper. That paper says that you are now the head of my Talon Academy. Training little monsto-I mean, children, to become fighters. You are to leave in three days. The directions are on the back. Have fun."

"But how is this a punishment?" Snipe asked. Dark Ace was thinking the same thing as he watched.

"Oh, it's not a punishment. Just...a different assignment. Until I can trust you again. Dismissed, Snipe." She snickered as Snipe lumbered out of the room, mumbling to himself.

"I don't see-" Dark Ace began. Cyclonis cut him off with a wave.

"One week with the little beasts, he'll be out of his mind. Not that he was actually sane, in the first place."

"I'm actually rather surprised he managed to create all those clones," Dark Ace mused, approaching her. "He even gave an exact number. I didn't know Snipe could count beyond ten..."

"Hm. I suppose we all have our hidden talents, don't we, Dark Ace?" She looked at him sneakily.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" he asked, all of a sudden protective of his microscopic sized personal life.

"Nothing, nothing." She gritted her teeth to keep from smiling again.

"And he DID get a look around the Condor," Dark Ace said. "You know, information. Blueprints and whatnot."

"I don't need Snipe for blueprints of the Condor. I'd just ask you." Cyclonis immediately regretted saying that and wheeled around. Dark Ace had paled, his face stiff, as if an invisible mask had pressed itself against him.

"Yes, well, things aboard that hunk of junk might have changed in the past ten years," he said, his voice strained. "You never know, do you?"

"No, I guess not." Cyclonis searched her mind for another topic to wander off to. "I suppose he'll come back in a few weeks, half dead."

"I think we're all praying, Master." Dark Ace's tone had lost the little humor it had acquired over the past few minutes. Cyclonis made a mental note to hit herself later on for letting those words slip.

"You should get going. My new mission...?"

"Ah, yes, the Enhancement Stones. We're perfecting the last stages."

"And who would this, 'we' be?"

"Ravess and I. She's not that bad a planner, actually..."

"Well, Dark Ace. You'd better leave, then. Dismissed."

"Master." He bowed and turned to leave. She heard him pause.

"What?"

"I was just curious..." he said softly. "Why did you ask for me to come? I mean, I wasn't involved. Is this a warning of sorts? You'll send me to work with students if I fail again?"

"I have my reasons, Dark Ace," she said coldly. Silence hung in the air. He shrugged and walked out the door.

There were things that needed to be done.

* * *

**I don't think I did this plot justice. This little tid-bit has a lot of potential. I might even do it again, if a better idea comes along. And I must give Ambrel credit for feeding me this subject. Thanks for reading, review people!  
**


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